1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information input device and an image forming apparatus and, more specifically, to an information input device involving confirmation or input of settings of a large number of items, as well as to an image forming apparatus provided with the information input device.
2. Description of the Background Art
Recently, image forming apparatuses including copy machines having various and many copy functions and capable of high-speed copying have been developed and put on the market.
Larger number of functions leads to larger number of items to be set, and the manner of setting becomes complicated. Except for users who are familiar with such a device through daily use, it is difficult to handle skillfully the various and many functions of the device. Miscopies resulting from errors in operations for setting copy conditions are likely. Even if the user finds the setting error immediately after starting the copy, in a high-speed copy machine, a large number of copies would be taken before the once-started copy operation stops, wasting resources. Therefore, confirmation of set status and confirmation of the finish before executing a copy operation or the like are indispensable.
By way of example, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2007-78726 (hereinafter referred to as '726 Reference) discloses an image forming apparatus providing confirmation of a plurality of functions selected by the user and providing expected output image. An operation panel of the image forming apparatus according to '726 Reference includes a function display unit, a detailed settings display unit, and a finish display unit. On the function display unit, icons representing manners of finish of a printout are displayed, and on the detailed settings display unit, detailed functions belonging to each icon are displayed, when an icon is selected. On the finish display unit, an expected finished image of the printout is displayed. According to this reference, it is possible to simultaneously confirm the currently set function and details thereof as well as the finished image.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2007-109206 (hereinafter referred to as '206 Reference) discloses an image processing apparatus provided with a user interface device of improved operability. The image processing apparatus of '206 Reference displays an image as an object of processing or an expected finished image on display means. If any position of the displayed image is designated, functions corresponding to the designated area are displayed, to receive setting of a function for the image. If a function is set, an expected finished image representing the result of processing in accordance with the set function is displayed on the display means. Hence, according to this reference, in response to an operation of designating a portion on the expected finished image, function setting items that can be set area by area can be appropriately and clearly presented, so that appropriate selection of the function setting items becomes possible and operability in setting operations is improved.
By the inventions disclosed in '726 and '206 References, detailed contents of selected functions can be displayed. It is, however, impossible to display detailed contents of a plurality of functions at one time.
Therefore, in an image forming apparatus having multiple functions with a large number of setting items, it is difficult for a user to confirm the overall status of settings, and possibility of miscopies still remains. Input of each and every setting item leads to more complicated operations.